A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed

HOW ODD THAT MASSACRES MOSTLY HAPPEN IN "GUN-FREE ZONES"! When will the brain-dead Left wake up and draw the obvious conclusion? Gun bans kill kids

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Self defense no excuse in Massachusetts?: "The alleged shooter, Christopher Davis, 26, claims he opened fire in self- defense after a trio of men attempted to enter his Fenn Street apartment around 2 a.m. As a result, the three men - Douglas Starbird, Anthony Astore and Tyler Hewitt - may soon face charges of home invasion, according to Detective Capt. Patrick F. Barry, commander of the Pittsfield Police Department Special Operations Division. None of the men were hit by gunfire. Although the charges against Davis will remain the same - assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm without a license, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, and possession of ammunition without a Firearms Identification Card - the police investigation has revealed that the trio may have been the aggressors. "We recovered a roofing rake we believe was used in the home invasion," Barry said, adding that the tool was likely used to smash out the windows of Davis' truck. Davis was held on cash bail of $100,000, or $1 million bond, after denying all charges at his arraignment Monday in Central Berkshire District Court. Davis was captured in Colonie, N.Y., the day after the shooting, but police have yet to recover a weapon, which is believed to be a .22-caliber handgun."

OK: Robbers' baby shot: "Sequoyah County Sheriff Ron Lockhart said two men robbed Devin Jeremiah in his home, Saturday afternoon, north of Roland. Lockhart said the victim fought back firing a gun at the suspects as they fled. Lockhart said one bullet hit a one-year-old child who was in the suspects' get-away vehicle, driven by the child’s mother. "The victim of the robbery was battered and as the suspects were fleeing the house the victim of the robbery shot several times into the car," Lockhart said. Lockhart said Jeremiah didn't realize there was a kid in the vehicle. Bobbie Keefner, Jeremiah's aunt, spoke exclusively to 40/29 News. She said her nephew acted in self defense. "They basically came in, robbed him and just beat him nearly to death," she said. "He didn't know that there was baby in the vehicle at all or he wouldn't have shot.” Jeremiah was taken to Sparks Hospital where Keefner said he was treated for severe head and mouth wounds. Lockhart said as the mother of the child drove to Sparks Hospital with the suspects, she spotted a Roland police officer who followed her to the hospital where they learned of the robbery. The child was flown by helicopter to Children's Hospital in Little Rock, where they were listed in critical condition Saturday night."

Can you believe this bulldust from Canada?: "Guns in bars. No background checks at gun shows. No permits to carry required. No restrictions on how many guns a person may buy (in some cases now it’s one per month). What Americans don’t seem to understand is how crazy they look to most of the rest of the world. The reason they don’t understand is because of their one-thought tyranny. Americans are tyrannized by 1776, The Second Amendment, The Bill of Rights, The Constitution and other colonial-era artifacts. They have been brainwashed into believing that those are the only thoughts there are. This is not freedom. Freedom means having a choice. If they could accept that there are other ways of thinking then they would have a choice! That’s what freedom is about and what many, if not most, Americans don’t understand." [He's obviously never heard of the Brady campaign or the American Left generally. Americans are positively SWAMPED with "other ways of thinking". Most just don't agree with it, that's all. He thinks the picture above shows craziness. I think it shows an all-American gal]

Idaho Firearms Freedom Act Has Been Introduced: "The Idaho Firearms Freedom Act has been introduced as H0589 by Rep. Dick Harwood. If passed, this bill would create a confrontation at the federal level by making it legal to possess a firearm in Idaho regardless of federal regulations PROVIDED the firearm’s use AND manufacture meet certain requirements, including being manufactured in Idaho, with products produced in Idaho and stamped “Made in Idaho.” This makes 25 states with FFA bills introduced or enacted. We’re now at 50% of states that are involved with the FFA movement to roll back Washington’s power over states."

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Chicago gun case could restore other civil rights

Gun owners aren't the only ones who should pay close attention to the "McDonald" Chicago gun-ban case, which will be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court March 2. If properly decided, the case could restore an important legal tool to protect the rights of small business owners and homeowners who face oppressive state and local government regulations.

Because the Supreme Court in McDonald may consider reinvigorating what is known as the "Privileges or Immunities clause" of the 14th Amendment, those engaged in civil rights battles nationwide may soon have a new arrow in their quiver to better defend the rights of homeowners and entrepreneurs. The clause states "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States."

The phrase "privileges or immunities" may be unfamiliar today, but 19th-century Americans used it interchangeably with a term modern Americans know very well: rights.

After the Civil War, officials throughout the South systematically violated the rights of newly freed blacks and white abolitionists in their states and sought to keep them in abject poverty and terror. The whole point in amending the Constitution to add the 14th Amendment -- with its Privileges or Immunities clause -- was to end the pervasive culture of oppression and tyranny by state and local governments, thereby protecting through federal law those rights that are necessary to be a full and self-sustaining member of society.

Two rights the 14th Amendment was clearly intended to protect were armed self-defense and economic liberty. A federal constitutional amendment was passed to ensure that all Americans, regardless of which state they lived in, enjoyed these rights.

But in an infamous 1873 decision called the Slaughter-House Cases, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Americans' protection under the Privileges or Immunities clause protected only their rights as U.S. citizens, but not as citizens of a particular state. This signaled that states were free to run roughshod over the rights of citizens in their states without interference from federal courts.

The results were predictably disastrous: Those who were politically disenfranchised soon also became economically marginalized as well. Since then, the U.S. Supreme Court has given certain constitutional rights, such as free speech, greater protection.

TX: Navy veteran acquitted in shooting death: "A 27-year-old Navy veteran and corrections officer was acquitted Thursday of a murder charge in the 2008 shooting death of a man who was having an affair with his wife. A Tarrant County jury deliberated about two hours before finding Jerrill Christopher Dorton not guilty in the fatal shooting of Bruce McKinney, 24. McKinney died April 15, 2008, a month after he was shot at Dorton's north Fort Worth apartment. Investigators said McKinney and Dorton's wife had an affair, which Dorton believed had ended. When Dorton overheard McKinney calling his wife one day, he called him into his apartment and shot him, police said.. At his trial, Dorton testified that he shot McKinney in self-defense when he glimpsed the butt of a gun as the other man reached into a pocket of his hooded jacket. Defense attorney Dewayne Huston said Dorton's fear was justified because McKinney had repeatedly threatened him and others by flashing guns at them. Detectives said they thought that Dorton staged the scene to make it appear that he fired in self-defense. Witnesses, including Dorton's wife, told investigators that five to 10 seconds elapsed between the two gunshots they heard. Dorton said he recalled firing only one shot, striking McKinney in the face. Huston contended that the other shot was fired by McKinney. He said a .380-caliber bullet taken from the apartment wall was the same caliber as the gun found next to McKinney. Dorton had a .40-caliber handgun, he said."

PA: Witness says shooting was self-defense: "A Blair County man charged with attempted murder was acting in self-defense, said a witness to Wednesday night's shooting outside an East End bar. Police contend Alvin C. Zimmerman, 38, of 614 Third Ave., Duncansville, committed a crime when he shot one of two men who had followed him outside the Kettle Inn on South Kettle Street shortly after 10 p.m. Zimmerman and another man were leaving the bar after a pool match when two men began shouting homosexual slurs at them, court documents state. Minutes later, Zimmerman was in handcuffs and another man was headed to the Altoona Regional Trauma Center, where he remained in serious condition Thursday after emergency surgery to remove a bullet from his abdomen. Tony DeAntonio, who was there for his pool league, said he was leaving the bar at the same time and said the two men shouted obscenities as they followed Zimmerman and the other man outside. DeAntonio, 21, said the man who was eventually shot stood in front of his vehicle as he tried to pull out, yelled for him to "get out of your truck" and was even throwing chunks of ice at Zimmerman. "It was self-defense," DeAntonio said. "Al's just trying to get out of there. Nobody wanted to fight." Zimmerman and the other man tried to leave, but Zimmerman pulled out his .32-caliber Kel-Tec handgun from his front pocket after one of the two men punched his friend, who then also pulled out a gun, court documents state. "Go ahead and shoot me," is what one of the men allegedly shouted over and over as he walked toward Zimmerman, court documents state. Zimmerman was backing away and fired a warning shot at the ground, police said, but the man kept coming. So Zimmerman shot him."

U. of Tenn. Policy Strips Students’ 2nd Amendment Right: "The University of Tennessee’s newly announced policy banning all gun ownership by student-athletes is an extreme overreaction to the criminal acts of a few. UT’s athletic director, Mike Hamilton, said that under the new policy, the university will automatically dismiss any student-athlete found in possession of a gun — even those with permits and even those living off-campus. This over-reaching policy prevents law-abiding UT student-athletes from hunting and engaging in recreational and competitive shooting. More importantly, it also prohibits them from owning a firearm for self-defense, a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution".

Friday, February 26, 2010

FL: Homeowner shoots would-be burglar: "When Michael Allsop heard his bedroom window shatter, police said, he ran into his bathroom and called 911. But when he saw two hands reach into his house, he put down the phone and picked up his 9mm pistol. The 59-year-old homeowner opened fire Wednesday morning, wounding a would-be burglar. The burglar ran away. Minutes later, a man showed up at Bayfront Medical Center with two gunshot wounds. St. Petersburg police said that's where they arrested Michael Patterson, 30, on a charge of burglary of an occupied structure. "I'm glad he's alive," Allsop said. "Maybe he'll tell his friends not to come back. Allsop has had plenty of experience with burglars. Wednesday's break-in was the sixth burglary reported at his home at 1926 Seminole Blvd. S in the five years he's lived there, police records show. Allsop said he heard a knock at the door about 9:40 a.m. but didn't answer it because he wasn't expecting anyone. Then he heard the bedroom window shatter. He fired three or four times when he saw the burglar trying to enter, police said. Under Florida law, people can defend themselves with deadly force if they have a "reasonable fear of imminent peril" from someone "unlawfully and forcefully" entering their residence. Patterson of 2464 14th Ave. S was treated at the hospital for gunshot wounds to his hand and upper body, then was booked into the Pinellas County Jail. In 2007, he pleaded no contest to charges of grand theft and larceny, court records say."

Georgia: Decatur Man Shoots Burglary Suspect: "A Decatur homeowner will not be charged for shooting an intruder Wednesday morning. DeKalb County police said 40-year-old Dexter Tucker was justified in shooting a 17-year-old who broke into his home. Tucker said he was asleep when he heard knocking at the front door. The Decatur man said he peered through the shades but didn’t answer the door. Tucker said he saw a young man run to the back door and that’s when he grabbed his gun. “I couldn’t believe he was kicking in my door and it took him like four kicks to get in so by the time he got in I was ready for him,” Tucker said. Tucker said he shot the intruder three times, striking him once in the thigh. The homeowner said he then saw another young man running away. Neighbor Vermail Harris said she saw someone running away and getting into a car down the road. “He ended up hopping in a car so I gave [the police] a description of the vehicle he got in and they found him later. Tucker said the teens left their car when they fled. Police later arrested a 17-year-old male and a 16-year-old girl in a stolen car not far away."

Texas: Suspect killed in home invasion gunbattle: "A north Harris County man shot a pair of suspected home invaders on Friday, killing one and wounding the other, during a gunbattle outside his house, officials said. The homeowner was also wounded, authorities said. “He was shot by one of the suspects,” said Sgt. Craig Clopton with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. His condition was not available. Gunfire erupted at 11:30 a.m. at a home in the 1300 block of Spring City after two people forced open the front door, officials said. The homeowner and the suspects both were armed and exchanged gunfire, authorities said. One attacker, an adult, fell to the ground in the yard. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. The wounded juvenile ran to a nearby home in the 14000 block of Coveney and pounded on the front door. “He told me that he had gotten shot and to call his mother. I thought he was just crazy,” said Pamela Grant, who cares for an elderly woman who lives there. By that time, deputies had arrived. The youth was taken by ambulance to a hospital. His condition was not available."

A brief history of British gun control (or, how to disarm the law abiding populace by stealth): "In 1900 the British government trusted the people with firearms and to be their own guardians. Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, the Marquess of Salisbury said he would ‘laud the day when there was a rifle in every cottage in England.’ However in 1903 Britain passed its first ever ‘gun control’ law, a minor one requiring a permit to carry a handgun and restricting the age of purchasers. It was the first toe over a slippery slope towards complete firearms prohibition. In 1919 the British government, in fear of communist insurgents and domestic and foreign anarchists, passed its first sweeping anti-gun laws (under the smokescreen of crime control) even though gun related crime was almost non existent in the England of the day. British subjects could now only buy a firearm if they could show ‘a good reason’ for having one and the firearm certificate system that we have today (implemented and abused by police) was introduced.”

Thursday, February 25, 2010

AL: Shooting outside bar probable self-defense: "A man was shot and stabbed early Sunday morning outside a bar on Coliseum Boulevard, but police believe it was a case of self-defense. The 26-year-old was involved in a dispute at Wesley’s Sports Bar at about 12:09 a.m., said Maj. Huey Thornton, a police spokesman. When the person he was arguing with left the bar and attempted to drive out of the parking lot, the 26-year-old stepped in front of the vehicle, Thornton said. The driver stepped out of the car and the man punched him, Thornton said. The driver backed away, but the man continued to come toward him, until the driver shot and cut the man, Thornton said. The case will be presented to a grand jury, Thornton said".

MO: Man shot in response to punch: "A judge is expected to rule soon whether a Noel man should stand trial on a charge of voluntary manslaughter in a shooting death last year.... Recounting an interview with James Patterson a couple of days later, Miller testified that Patterson told him that he and Reece had spent part of Sept. 7 together playing golf and pool. Reece apparently had been drinking, Miller said. The pair parted ways at some point that day. Miller said Patterson later that night received a phone call at his home from Jindy Patterson, who said, “If you can hear me, I need you to come right now” in response to a quarrel with Reece. Patterson’s wife told him that he should take a gun with them as the couple headed toward Reece’s home several miles away. Authorities have previously said that Reece and Jindy Patterson were getting a divorce at the time of the shooting. When the Pattersons arrived, according to Miller’s interview of James Patterson, James Patterson headed toward a vehicle that had been carrying Jindy Patterson and Reece. James Patterson reportedly told Miller that he approached Reece first, and that Reece “sucker-punched” him. Miller testified that he saw blood on Patterson’s face at the scene.

Maine seeks to stymie federal law on guns in parks: "Lawmakers in Maine, home to one of the nation's most-visited national parks, are considering whether to override a new federal law that allows guns in the sanctuaries. A law that took effect Monday lets licensed gun owners take firearms into national parks and wildlife refuges - provided state law doesn't say otherwise. No states have laws that supersede the new policy, officials say. The Maine bill would outlaw guns in Acadia National Park and the St. Croix Island International Historic Site. "There are places where we don't carry guns. There's families in this state that really appreciate that," said Sen. Stanley Gerzofsky, a Brunswick Democrat who is co-chairman of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee - and a hunter and gun owner. "Now, there's also families in the state that also want to be able to pack bazookas, but that's a little different story." But Wayne Bosowicz, a seasoned hunter and licensed guide from Sebec, said Wednesday that he wished he'd been allowed to carry a gun when a bear confronted him in Yellowstone National Park two years ago."

AL: Guns in cars bill opposed by many employers: "A House committee is considering a bill that would prohibit most private employers from telling employees they can’t keep a legal firearm in their own locked vehicles parked at work. Major business groups opposed the bill by Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, that was the subject of a Wednesday public hearing in the House Commerce Committee. “You must provide a safe workplace for employees,” said Business Council of Alabama lobbyist Anita Archie. “This limits our ability to provide a safe workplace.” Michael Sullivan, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, said the government cannot violate the U.S. Constitution that he said guarantees the right to possess firearms. The bill would allow any citizen who has a pistol permit from the local sheriff to keep a firearm in his or her vehicle while parked at work. “The civil rights of private citizens cannot be obstructed or violated by the government in disregard of their safety of going to and from work,” Sullivan said."

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Brady bulldust

The Brady Campaign for Gun Control provides a scorecard on how states are doing in regard to gun control legislation. If you don’t have enough gun control laws you get a low score from the Brady bunch. For example, West Virginia receives a score of 4 out of a possible 100. Utah actually scores zero.

Right now, there is a post by a blogger named Don Surber circulating widely around the internet. Don has cleverly compared the homicide rates in some of the states getting low Brady scores with states getting high Brady scores. Consider the following comparison: *Utah, the state with a zero rating, has only 1.5 homicides per 100,000 citizens. Less than half of those homicides are firearm related.

*California scores the highest according to the Brady report with a whopping 79. But they have 5.83 murders per 100,000, which is a rate nearly four times higher than Utah. Over 2/3 of the homicides in California are firearms related.

I can just hear liberals saying “People in Utah don’t need guns. There’s hardly any murder in their state.” Few probably make the connection between lawful gun ownership and low crime rates. Remember, these are the people who, in the 1990s, said that “despite the low crime rate, prison populations are higher than ever.” Back then they just could not connect the dots and figure out that crime was down because the criminals were locked up.

It all goes back to ideology. Liberals refuse to believe in deterrence theory because to do so admits to the fallen nature of man. To them, man is inherently good, not evil. Moreover, he is perfectible. The liberal is willing to die to preserve his vision of himself and others. And he wants you to die for his vision, too.

Don Surber’s comparison is clever but not dispositive. The data he examines is cross-sectional so its use is limited. What we really want to see is what happens after the laws the Brady Campaign opposes are actually put in effect. Fortunately, we know the answer when it comes to concealed carry laws. Sixteen peer-reviewed studies show that allowing citizens to lawfully carry reduces violent crime rates. Ten peer-reviewed studies are inconclusive. But there are, to date, no peer-reviewed studies reaching the opposite conclusion; namely that allowing citizens to lawfully carry increases violent crime rates.

Nonetheless, the Brady bunch continues to fight for laws that will cause themselves and others to remain helpless in the face of criminal assault. They would sooner lay your child to rest than succumb to the belief that the use of a gun for self-defense is somehow not in itself a gun crime.

The anti-gun lobby must realize that law abiding citizens need guns in a society that cannot ensure that criminals will not have them. But even if guns could be kept from criminals they would find other means to kill. After all, passengers without guns have flown airplanes into buildings.

The gun control extremist has at least two things in common with the Islamic extremist. He has a willingness to die for his fundamental beliefs. And he has the sanctimony to demand that others go with him.

Wichita Man Opens Fire On Burglarizing Brothers: "It all started around 11:30 Tuesday morning. Mills says he was napping when he heard a knock at his door. He got up to look through the peephole. "I was familiar with one of them," Mills said, "but not enough for him to show up at my home unannounced and with a guy I didn't know." Mills decided not to answer the door. Then something caught his attention. "I turned around to go back to sleep, and I hear one of them say, 'Hey, you want to get him?' They were talking about robbing me," Mills said. Mills says the two men likely didn't realize he was home. As they began walking around the apartment to the rear entrance, Mills called 911 and got his gun. Seconds later, the suspects kicked in the back door, knocking over shelves and spilling groceries all over the floor. Mills met them face-to-face with his weapon. "They stopped," Mills said. "You should have seen the look on their faces." Mills says he fired four warning shots, shattering a window only feet from the suspects. Police found one of the bullets in the exterior wall of a nearby vacant house. "He was in fear for his life," said Wichita police Lt. Guy Schroeder, adding it appeared Mills was acting in self-defense. "He was protecting his life and his property." Police arrested the two men a short time later. Detectives say they are brothers, ages 18 and 20."

Indiana: Neighbor shot intruder during home invasion: "Police say an attacker who had tied up two women inside a rural western Indiana home was stopped when a neighbor shot him in the leg. The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department says a man broke into the home near the town of Shelburn Sunday morning, tying up a woman and her mother and sexually assaulting the younger woman. Sgt. William Snead says the older woman was able to send a text message to a neighbor asking for help. The neighbor’s boyfriend, Sonny Osborn, heard the confrontation and went inside with a gun. Police say Osborn told the attacker to leave before shooting him in the leg three times. The man was treated at a hospital and was being held in the Sullivan County Jail."

Guns banned on Colorado campuses: "Stun guns, Tasers and pepper spray would still be allowed in purses and backpacks at Colorado State University-Pueblo under a new weapons ban passed by the Board of Governors on Tuesday. However, students at CSU's Fort Collins campus won't have that option under a stricter version of a policy that officials stretched to meet the needs of individual campuses. "The goal of the board is to have avoided having a policy where one size fits all," said CSU spokesman Brad Bohlander. Still, the policy that drew support of the board and faculty at both the Fort Collins and Pueblo campuses is almost sure to attract the ire of gun-rights groups. "I think the race will be on to the courthouse," said Bradley Deats, a CSU parent and a certified National Rifle Association instructor. Rocky Mountain Gun Owners has threatened to lead the legal charge against the gun policy, which bans people from carrying licensed concealed weapons on both campuses. State Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, has also said he will craft legislation to nullify the CSU policy, which he claims violates the state's concealed-weapons law."

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

CA: Homeowner shoots intruder: "A homeowner hearing someone trying to break into his house early Saturday morning yelled at the intruder he had a gun, according to sheriff’s deputies responding to the call of a burglary in progress in the 10300 block of Maple Avenue. The would-be burglar, later identified as Jennifer London, 23, broke out the front window and stuck her head through. San Bernardino County Sheriff ’s deputies said the resident feared for his family’s safety and fired at the suspect causing her to flee. She was located a short time later with a bullet wound to her chest and was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Amazingly, the bullet passed through her body without hitting any vital organs or arteries, according to investigators. She was treated and turned over to waiting deputies and taken to West Valley Detention Center. The homeowner has not been identified but authorities said he won’t be charged with anything and acted in self-defense."

New Zealand: "Boy racer shooting" accused not guilty : "A Taranaki man accused of shooting at a boy racer doing donuts in the street outside his house has been found not guilty. Police claimed Stanley Milne fired two bullets from a 22 calibre rifle at the boy racer's car, hitting the boot and brake light. But the defence said Milne does not have that sort of gun and only fired a slug gun to scare the boys away. The crown and defence made their closing arguments on Tuesday morning before the jury went out to consider its verdict." [More background here]

Colorado students fight for gun rights: "What seemed like common sense to some is nothing less than an assault on the US Constitution to others, which is why a governors meeting at Colorado State University today to approve a ban on students bearing concealed weapons on its main campus in Fort Collins is likely to be rowdy. Preventing bloodshed is the first thing on the board's mind. It is three years since the shooting rampage at Virginia Tech that took the lives of 32 students and staff and just under two weeks since Amy Bishop, a professor at the University of Alabama, allegedly shot six of her colleagues, killing three of them. Yet there has been such a push-back against the plan that the board may defer a decision today to await further public comment. The proposed change in the rules has reignited emotions about the place of guns in American culture. It is a debate that gets snarled in the conflicting logic of gun ownership rights and the simple notion that bullets and blackboards don't mix. State law allows citizens to carry concealed weapons as long as they have a permit. And many of the 22,000 students at the Fort Collins campus say they should not be treated differently from ordinary Coloradans. In December, the students' governing body voted overwhelmingly to resist the gun ban."

MO: Serial Rapist Scare Sending Many Women to Gun Stores: "A serial rapist on the loose means that many metro women are on edge, and some of them are walking into a place where they might not have ever gone before - a gun store. Gun stores and shooting ranges across the area are reporting an increase in Waldo women looking to learn how to shoot a firearm. Firearm instructor Don Pind says that he taught six Waldo women how to shoot just last week. "What we're after is being able to educate them enough that they can handle one responsibly," said Pind, who says that for some women, a stun gun or pepper spray may be a better fit than a firearm. If they come in right now, (and) have to have something right now and they have never fired a hand gun, this is what they need," said Pind, who says that regardless of what option for protection you choose, training is the key... "If I'm a first responder, and someone is unconscious, I do CPR," said Eric Conyers, who was practicing his shooting at a metro firing range on Monday. "If I'm a first responder in my home, and they cops aren't there, I've got this as a last resort. God forbid I have to use it."

Monday, February 22, 2010

OH: House break-in leads to shooting, one dead: "When the homeowner came home and saw what was happening, he started firing shots. One person is dead after a shooting in the 800 block of Galena St. near Michigan and Ontario. Police say it started with a home break-in around 8:30 Saturday night. Police say multiple suspects broke into the home while the owner was away. When the owner came back and saw what was happening, he started firing shots. Christopher Childress, 21, was shot and taken to Mercy Saint V's where he died. Police say they're not certain if another suspect was also shot and injured. They're talking to area hospitals to try and figure out if anyone is being treated for a gun shot wound. At this time, there is no information on other suspects. The incident remains under investigation.

WV: Grand jury clears man who shot home invader: "After three days of deliberations, a special session of the Wood County grand jury Friday afternoon determined there will be no charges from the shooting death of Chris Dickel on Sept. 20 at Mineral Manor Apartments in Mineral Wells. Wood County Prosecutor Jason Wharton said the grand jury concluded Bryce Eugene Barnes, 19, was justified in his actions. "The grand jury found the death was a justified shooting under the law," Wharton said. "There will be no charges against Barnes, other than those brought against him by the January grand jury on unrelated charges." In its report the panel stated Barnes "was exercising his right to use reasonable and proportionate force, including deadly force, against intruders or attackers to prevent a forcible entry into his home or to terminate the intruder's entry into his home." When Barnes was charged it was announced five bills of information had been filed against the people whom prosecutors allege entered Barnes' apartment. According to court records, a charge of conspiracy to commit burglary was filed against Shianne Danielle Winters, 20, Scott Michael Gough, 19, Shane Dye, 21, Toney Lee Dickel, 19, and Daniel David Dickel, 20. Dickel and others allegedly harassed Barnes and others in the apartment by yelling, pounding and kicking the door of the apartment. Police reported the group kicked in the door and entered the apartment. According to police, while inside the apartment Dickel was shot by Barnes. Dickel later died from his wounds."

Ill.: Student in "gun free zone" slapped Away Gun Before Shooting: "The Northern Illinois Student who was shot outside a residence hall early Friday morning says he was trying to stop someone who didn't live there from entering the building. Speaking from his room at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, 24-year-old Brian Mulder described to the DeKalb Daily Chronicle what happened: "He (the accused shooter) lived off campus and next thing you know, I asked him kindly to leave the dorm, he pointed the gun at my face, I slapped it down and he shot me in the leg," Mulder said. Minutes after the shooting, campus police had 22-year-old Buffalo Grove resident Zachary R. Isaacman in custody. Police said Isaacman likely had been drinking prior to the incident. A 9-mm Glock containing a single magazine with one round in the chamber, one round missing and eight rounds remaining was recovered, according to a police report. The report also said police recovered a second magazine that contained 10 rounds and had apparently been thrown away. He has been charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated battery and unlawful use of a weapon, and on Saturday was held on a $500,000 bond following a brief court appearance."

Utah Legislature: 'Flashing' of guns has broad support: "As gun rights bills flow through the Legislature, a new poll shows Utahns support gun owners displaying their weapons if they feel threatened. Sixty-five percent of respondents favor HB78, according to a Deseret News/KSL-TV poll conducted by Dan Jones & Associates, while 30 percent oppose the idea. The poll has a margin of error of 5 percent. The survey of 410 Utahns also revealed that more educated and wealthier respondents were less likely to support the proposal. Mirroring legislative debates, 70 percent of Republicans favored the bill while 56 percent of Democrats indicated support. HB78, which is waiting for Senate approval, would allow concealed weapon permit holders to "flash" their gun or tell someone that they are carrying a weapon. Last week the bill's sponsor, Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, said he is pleased with the gun rights legislation this session. "I always try to work to protect Second Amendment rights, and this year things have gone well," he said."

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Pa.: Armed Robbery and Shooting: "Lancaster City Police are looking for answers after an armed robbery and shooting. It happened last night at the Man-Gat Mini-Mart in the first block of East Liberty Street, near Duke Street. Officers say the suspect went inside, pointed a gun at the employees and demanded money. But then a clerk took out a gun and fired at the suspect who ran out. About 30 minutes later police found out there was a 17-year-old male at the hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound. As of right now, officers aren't confirming whether the teen is the robbery suspect."

FL: 17 year-old Shot During Home Invasion: "This evening at approximately 10:15 p.m. Leon County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to 4400 Buster Road in reference to the report of a 17 year-old who had been shot during a reported attempted home invasion robbery. The preliminary investigation indicates that at least three black males, wearing all black clothing, armed with at least one handgun forced entry into the residence, through a back door, and began to fire multiple gunshots. A 17 year-old who was inside the residence armed him and returned fire. Two other subjects who were in the residence were not injured during the exchange of gunfire. The 17 year-old suffered what appears to be a non-life treating gun-shot wound to the pelvis and has been transported to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Emergency Room for treatment. The suspects fled the residence and were last seen running toward the direction of Tall Top Drive. It is unknown if any of the suspects were struck when the 17 year-old returned fire".

FL: Shooter In Road Rage Claims Self Defense: "Doral Police continue to investigate a road rage incident that led to one man being shot Friday night. Police say Jorge Luis Perez, 49, the man who allegedly shot 46-year-old Javier Suarez walked into police headquarters Saturday morning with his attorney to say that he shot Suarez in self-defense. Suarez who was shot in the abdomen was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Perez told police he didn't realize he had fired his 9mm Ruger gun until he saw the news and that's what prompted him to walk into to police headquarters and give a voluntary statement. Perez said he did not have a permit for the gun. Perez was allowed to leave with his attorney Saturday afternoon. But Suarez has told police he felt in fear for his life and armed himself with a tire iron. He said the whole thing erupted after a minor traffic accident. Police say Suarez has an extensive felony history with the most recent one being a drug charge, which was filed in December. Perez was charged with battery a year ago, but that charge was later dismissed."

California leads the way in idiotic anti-gun laws: "This past year, California further strengthened its laws by passing legislation to regulate the sale of handgun ammunition in the state. Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 962, sponsored by Assembly Member Kevin DeLeon (D-Los Angeles) last fall. It was the top priority of the California Brady Campaign Chapters and Women Against Gun Violence. "This important new law will help keep handgun ammunition out of the hands of dangerous people and give law enforcement an important new tool to track down armed criminals in possession of illegal guns and bullets," said Ellen Boneparth, spokesperson for the California Brady Campaign Chapters. California has in place key laws to prevent gun trafficking such as mandatory background checks on all firearm purchases, a "one-handgun-a-month" law to stop large volume purchases that feed the illegal market, and other important laws to regulate gun dealers. In 2007, California advocates helped pass legislation to help law enforcement identify crime guns using new "Microstamping" technology. This new law, which will soon take effect, will give law enforcement a powerful investigative tool to solve more gun crimes and apprehend more armed criminals and gang members by identifying the crime gun – without the gun."

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Texas: Man Fatally Shoots Intruder: "Houston police said a 23-year-old man tried to break through a window to get into a home on Blueberry Lane near Bluegrass Street at about 9:30 a.m. Investigators said the homeowner woke up, grabbed his shotgun and fired shots as the man was going through the window. “The homeowner was awakened by breaking glass and the movement of a dresser in the front window,” said M.F. Waters of HPD Homicide. The intruder fell out of the window into the yard and died, officials said. His family identified him as Roosevelt Jackson Jr. Jackson’s pastor said he joined a local church three weeks ago and a Bible study group prayed for positive changes in his life. Family and friends described the homeowner as distraught after the shooting. “It’s going to change his life. I don’t think he’s ever going to be the same,” neighbor Elizabeth Moody “He’s a good person. The case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury without charges."

CA: Man released after assault convictions reversed: "A judge ordered a Fullerton man released from jail Friday, a month after a Santa Ana appellate court found there was insufficient evidence showing he did not act in self-defense when he fired shots at a Fullerton tactical weapons team more than five years ago. Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals declared Ernest Gerald Benefiel II, 45, not guilty of assault charges, based on the reversal of a jury's verdicts last month by the 4th District Court of Appeal. Benefiel, 45, was serving 17 years, four months in prison after he was convicted of four counts of assault for firing a handgun twice at officers from Fullerton's tactical weapons team after they surrounded his apartment on Dec. 30, 2004. The team was summoned to the two-bedroom apartment Benefiel shared after his father reported that he thought his son was suicidal, had a gun and had nailed himself inside his bedroom. But defense attorney Doug Lobato contended during two trials that Benefiel had been taking prescription pain killers to treat neck and back injuries and was in a deep sleep when Fullerton officers arrived. Police officers tried to get Benefiel's attention by using a loudspeaker on multiple occasions to request that he come out with his hands up, and then by using a flash-bang grenade under his window and firing bean bag blasts from a shotgun through the bedroom window. Benefiel, who was bruised and cut because of the bean bag shots, fired his handgun twice at the officers before he stumbled out of the window and was arrested, according to news accounts. Lobato argued that Benefiel did not know the men outside his window were police and that he shot back in self-defense because he thought he was under attack."

Guns to be allowed in CA parks: "Beginning Monday it will be legal to bring loaded, concealed weapons into Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The Bush administration overturned a 25-year-old Reagan administration federal rule that restricted loaded guns in national parks after the Supreme Court struck down a handgun ban in Washington, D.C., and declared that individuals have a constitutional right to possess firearms for self-defense and other purposes. Now under the new rule visitors can legally carry a loaded gun into a park or wildlife refuge - but only if the person has a permit for a concealed weapon and if the state where the park or refuge is located also allows concealed firearms. California allows concealed weapons. "We have been working closely with local, state and federal officials to ensure that we clearly understand the provisions of the laws that will now apply to our visitors when they are in the park," said Don Neubacher, Point Reyes National Seashore superintendent. "We encourage every visitor who may wish to bring firearms to the park to do their research ahead of time and ensure that they are aware of and abide by the laws that apply. Our goal is to provide safe, enjoyable park visits for everyone."

Montana man acquitted over fatal struggle with aggressive drunk: "The garage door began to open in Kevin Smoot’s Lancaster driveway, where Jimmy Wilson’s shadow stood tall. Piece by piece, Smoot’s body began to appear from behind the garage door, a curtain being lifted for a prizefighter. First his legs, then his torso, then his face. “How could you do this to my family?” Wilson repeatedly screamed and screamed, coming within two feet of Smoot. Smoot had been hiding something behind his right leg. He pulled an AK-47 from the leg, slung it through the air, and pointed it at Wilson’s chest. Wilson stood motionless for three seconds. His aunt emerged from the side of the house, wearing nothing but shorts and a cut-off tank top, crying out three words to Smoot: “Don’t hurt him!” Smoot looked away at her. Wilson saw his opening. He grabbed the barrel of the gun with his sweaty palms. Smoot grabbed the stock, and soon four hands were on the assault rifle. It was a three-second war. Two men grunting, battling for control of a deadly machine. Their silhouettes danced across the driveway. Wilson’s sweaty palms lost grip. He got one last tug at the rifle, which swung upward and fired a round into the humid California sky. Wilson heard the thunder of that one shot, and ran. He thought Smoot controlled the weapon, and that he would lay down rounds through the neighborhood. He thought his life was over. So he ran harder than he ever had, back to his black Lincoln Navigator. He made it. There was no crimson piercing through his T-shirt. But there was a river of it running down the driveway, and Wilson followed the stream back to Smoot’s head, where the bullet had taken an abrupt path through his cheek and cranium."

Friday, February 19, 2010

La.: Homeowner not indicted for shooting burglar: "A Calcasieu Parish grand jury decided not to indict a homeowner who shot and killed 18-year-old Divonte LeDay. It was December, 2009, when LeDay was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound in a yard off Oleo Street. Lake Charles Police believe the victim sustained those wounds nearly 12 hours earlier while he and two others tried to steal a four wheeler a block away on Mill Street. "LeDay was involved in a burglary, an attempted theft. The homeowner took action shot two rounds and they fled," said Sgt. Mark Kraus. Both the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office and Lake Charles Police got calls about gunshots in the area. The homeowner on Mill Street filed a report about the attempted burglary with the Sheriff's Office, telling them he fired two shots in the air. The initial report from the Calcasieu Coroner's Office confirms LeDay died from injuries consistent from a shotgun. "We now know LeDay was struck by the shotgun blast and died a short time later about 200 feet from where that attempted burglary took place," explained Kraus. Kraus says LeDay was no stranger to local law enforcement: His first run was at 16 years old - police say he was the teen who brought the gun and fired shots at the "Just For Jesus" rally at the Lake Charles Civic Center back in May 2007."

CA: Bashed man shoots attackers: "Joseph Victor Davis, 26, told investigators that he was attacked Saturday morning by a man wielding a metal flashlight. That man has been identified by detectives as Marcelo Patrick Banuelos, 28, of Redding, who was arrested today on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem, battery with great bodily injury and violating parole, police said... Officers said they learned that a man identified as Brady Kristopher Gentry, 23, of Weed was being treated that morning for two gunshot wounds at Mercy Medical Center. The subsequent police investigation shows that Banuelos was in the company of Gentry in the restaurant’s parking lot, and that Banuelos attacked Davis with the flashlight, police said. Davis, who left the scene after the shooting, told investigators that a man struck him multiple times about his face and head during and that he admitted to shooting his “attackers” in self-defense, police said. Davis was driven to Red Bluff by an unidentified woman and was treated at St. Elizabeth’s Community Hospital for multiple lacerations to his head, police said ... It’s not known if Gentry might be arrested and charged in the case, said Redding police investigator Shawn McGinnis"

Report: DHS officers lose 243 weapons: "Nearly 180 Department of Homeland Security weapons were lost — some falling into the hands of criminals — after officers left them in restrooms, vehicles and other public places, according to an inspector general report. The officers, with Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ‘did not always sufficiently safeguard their firearms and, as a result, lost a significant number of firearms’ between fiscal year 2006 and fiscal year 2008, the report said. In all, 243 firearms were lost in both agencies during that period, according to the January report from Inspector General Richard Skinner…. 74 percent, or 179 guns, were lost ‘because officers did not properly secure them,’ the report said.”

Bill To Stop Ban On Guns in Delaware: "The right to bear arms is against the rules in Delaware public housing, but that could all be changing under a new bill. Currently, residents at a number of public housing authorities in the state are banned from owning firearms for self-defense. So on Thursday, a bi-partisan group of lawmakers proposed a bill that would stop the policy and prevent other federal agencies from prohibiting guns in the future. The NRA has already announced that it will sue the housing authorities if the bans are not lifted."

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Ohio: Intruder, occupant exchange gunshots: "Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department deputies are looking for a man who shot a Monroe Township dog, burst into a home and then evaded the owner’s return gunfire early Monday morning. The dog, a German shepherd, was shot three times but survived the attack, deputies said. The owner wasn’t injured, and deputies are unsure if the other man was wounded. Deputies were called to the Michael Hommes Jr., residence at 4784 School St., around 3:26 a.m., Robison said. Hommes, 24, and his 21-year-old girlfriend told deputies the dog became agitated and was running to windows in the home. Hommes let the dog outside and soon heard three gun shots, he told deputies. Hommes grabbed a large-caliber pistol and moments later heard the sound of his back door being kicked in, deputies said. Investigating, he found a man standing inside his home, deputies said. Hommes fired at the man, who ran from the house and then fled the scene in a white, four-door Buick sedan, according to reports. The dog was treated at a Mentor area veterinary clinic, deputies said. It’s believed the animal was shot with a .45 caliber pistol, according to reports."

Tennessee: Man pulls gun during knife fight, faces no charges: "No charges have been filed against a man accused of bringing out a gun during a knife fight. Officers arrested Matthew Dressler on Friday at a Wal-Mart in Maryville. According to investigators, the 26-year-old picked a fight with another customer inside the store. At some point, Dressler pulled a knife. Another customer, Billy Dunkelberger, 21, tried to help. Officers said Dressler then pointed his knife at him, so Dunkelberger pulled a gun. No one was hurt, and police arrested Dressler. He’s charged with aggravated assault. Dunkelberger is not facing any charges because he’s a gun permit holder."

New bill would make it easier to carry concealed guns in Mississippi: "In Mississippi, as in much of the country, it is getting easier to carry concealed guns. With Senate passage of a bill this past week to allow handgun-permit holders to carry their concealed guns in most Mississippi parks, as well as in restaurants and other locations, it is becoming difficult to determine who can’t legally carry a firearm in the Magnolia State; except for convicted felons, of course. The bill by state Sen. Merle Flowers, R-Southaven, originally covered only parks. It was amended to let permit holders carry their guns in restaurants, bars and unsecured government buildings unless the owners of those facilities post notices barring guns. The measure, Senate Bill 2153, now goes to the House."

Colorado kneejerk reaction to UAH shooting: "Colorado State could join most public universities in the U.S. by banning concealed weapons when it meets again next week in Pueblo. The Board of Governors asked leaders at both schools in December to draft a proposed ban, following a request by Ft. Collins teachers in November of 2008 that administrators consider such a ban. Then Friday, an instructor at the University of Alabama, Huntsville allegedly opened fire, killing three professors and wounding three others. “You know we just think we’re very fortunate that we haven’t ever had such a horrible incident on this campus,” said Brad Bohlander, spokesman for the Ft. Collins campus. “I feel safe coming to work, absolutely. We do have a good police force, that I think can respond very quickly should such an incident happen.” The president of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, Dudley Brown, told TheDenverChannel.com on Monday that he expected the weapons ban would be adopted. But that doesn’t mean the fight is over, Brown said."

According to certified firearms instructor George Hill, the hammerless S&W 640 is likable and it's a keeper.

"It seems to me that a person with a strong sense of personal identity would pack one of these with no problem and no second thoughts. Five rounds of .357 magnum can make a very good argument in any debate. Being able to comfortably and easily carry those five rounds in a concealable package is a good thing. And making that package one that can be brought out quickly to deliver those five arguments so readily, is just about ideal."

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Chicago: Security guard stops shooter: "Emmanuel Perez-Gomez, 20, of the 4700-block of North Kenneth Ave, has been charged with three counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated discharge of a weapon and one count of aggravated assault to a police officer. The shootout took place Monday just after 1 a.m. near the Croatian Cultural Center at 2845 W. Devon, near Mozart. The officer was working as a security guard at a party at the center when investigators say someone pointed a gun at him, and the officer opened fire. Police say Perez-Gomez first fired several shots at an SUV carrying three men. The off-duty officer then chased the suspect, who aimed the gun in his direction. The officer said he fired at the man he'd been chasing. The suspect fled in a dark-colored SUV and arrived at nearby Swedish Covenant Hospital for gunshot treatment shortly afterward, police say. His injuries were not reported to be life threatening."

FL: Man acquitted of murder convicted on related charge: "William T. Wilkerson was acquitted of murder in the death of Jason Payne outside a drunken party in Wellington in 2007. Jurors last year decided under Florida's "Stand Your Ground " law that Wilkerson shot at a very drunk Payne in self-defense. The two fought after Wilkerson flirted with Payne's girlfriend. Yet Wilkerson still faced sentencing Tuesday on one charge he was convicted of — discharging a firearm from a vehicle. Defense attorneys Marc Shiner and Patrick McKamey asked Circuit Judge John Kastrenakes that Wilkerson be sentenced to probation after already serving nearly two years in jail. A prosecutor described Wilkerson's third shot — fired after Payne had been struck — as "deliberate, intentional and dangerous" to the other partygoers that night. Assistant State Attorney Barbara Burns asked for a term of years in prison. Wilkerson was seated in his vehicle, preparing to drive away from the party after being asked to leave, according to witnesses, when an intoxicated Payne — angry at Wilkerson's flirting with his girlfriend — smashed his driver's side window." [A verdict that makes little sense. He was judged to have fired in self-defense and therefore acquitted of murder but convicted because he was in a car when he fired!]

FL: Burglar shot by man with a felony conviction: "The attorney for a convicted felon who used a gun to shoot a suspected burglar during a struggle plans to argue that his client was right to use the weapon to defend himself. Lamar J. Coaston was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon stemming from the Wednesday shooting of a 23-year-old man that took place at Coaston’s rental home on the 700 block of Tompkins Street in Melbourne. Funk contends that necessity or duress can exempt a person from being charged in the act of criminal behavior. In this case Coaston, prohibited by law from possessing a gun because of a previous drug conviction, felt he was in a life or death struggle against someone that broke into his residence, Funk explained. “Even a convicted felon can defend himself. I want to be clear, this guy was not invited into his house. This was a burglar,” said Funk, adding the gun used did not belong to his client. Coaston was released from the Brevard County Detention Center in Sharpes after posting a $5,000 bond. The arrest came as Melbourne detectives continued their investigation into the shooting that left Cesar Rivera of West Melbourne recovering from a gunshot wound to the throat." [Are felons not allowed to defend themselves? Gun possession seems to be the only charge]

Utah Legislature: Clarification of gun laws advances: "A Senate committee approved a bill to clarify Utah firearms laws and allow gun owners to display and threaten to use their guns in self-defense. The panel passed the bill on Tuesday, despite Democrats who voiced concern that the bill might increase violence. "I'm not sure this is a step in the right direction," Sen. Ben McAdams, D-Salt Lake. In the end he voted for the bill, while a fellow Democrat, Sen. Ross Romero, Salt Lake City, cast the single no vote. Supporters of the bill say the law simply clarifies existing law and provides gun owners with more direction."

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

MS: Angry man shot: "A young Vicksburg father was shot to death in a convenience store parking lot Sunday morning, and another man surrendered to police hours later. Hinds Community College student Derrick Stamps Jr., 18, was killed with a small-caliber weapon after he approached a Nissan Maxima in the parking lot of the Exxon station at Mission 66 and Clay Street at about 1:04 a.m., police Sgt. Sandra Williams said. Williams said the fatal shooting, the first in the city this year, followed an earlier fight at Joanna’s, 3961 N. Washington St., a nightclub in Kings. At the nightclub, the fight was between Stamps and an unidentified teen. Lt. Bobby Stewart said Dominic Rashad Turner, 19, intervened to stop the fight — a move that apparently angered Stamps. At about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Turner, 202 Easy St., turned himself in at police headquarters and was charged with murder, Williams said. Williams said Stamps left his vehicle and went to the Maxima and opened the door and Stewart said he believed it was to confront Turner about breaking up the earlier fight. Turner then fired at least three rounds, according to the investigation. “Stamps was shot in the car that Turner was in,” she said. “He did open the door and approach Turner,” before being shot." [Murder charge? It seems clear self-defense]

WI: Robber found guilty in death of accomplice: "A 22-year-old man who was shot by a security guard while robbing a check-cashing business in Milwaukee last year was convicted of felony murder Monday in connection with the death of his cousin, who also was shot by the guard during the robbery. Vidal D. Mason entered a no-contest plea Monday, was found guilty and will be sentenced April 23, according to court records. Mason and his cousin, Ronald X. Reed Jr., 24, were wearing masks and armed with what looked like handguns when they entered Check Into Cash, 3906 N. 76th St., on June 3, according to a criminal complaint. The firearms were BB guns that looked like handguns, police said. While Reed had his gun to the guard's head, the guard grabbed his own pistol and shot both Reed and Mason, the complaint says. Prosecutors determined the guard's actions were justified and did not file charges against him."

Obama OK on gun control so far: "Among the many groups that opposed Barack Obama’s presidential race, few were more certain or vehement than gun rights organizations. ‘Barack Obama would be the most anti-gun president in American history,’ the National Rifle Association announced. ‘Obama is a committed anti-gunner,’ warned Gun Owners of America. So it’s no stunner that after a year in office, the president is getting hammered by people who have no use for his policy on firearms. The surprise is that the people attacking him are those who favor gun control, not those who oppose it.”

Ireland: Up to 50 handgun owners to mount legal challenges over licences: "The state is facing up to 50 legal challenges by the owners of high-calibre handguns who are seeking to have licences issued, despite being refused approval by Gardaí. The National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC), which is the country’s largest gun-owners’ lobby group, plans to launch the challenges after successfully challenging two refusals by a senior garda to issue licences for handguns. Des Crofton, national director of the NARGC, which has 28,000 members across Ireland, said the association’s members had encountered ‘‘totally unacceptable behaviour’’ by some senior gardaí in their refusal to issue handgun licences to previously-licensed shooters. Crofton said that the association would be challenging the implementation of the state’s new firearms licensing system, which he said had descended into ‘‘mayhem’’. There are believed to be as many as 500 firearms, including handguns for competition shooting, which come under the ‘restricted’ category in the new licensing regime, for which gardaí are obliged to take special care in issuing licences." ["Gardai" = "police" in Irish]

Monday, February 15, 2010

WA: Armed house-sitter shoots at intruder: "A Douglas County man who was watching a home for a friend shot at an intruder in the home as he fled but missed, authorities said. The man arrived at the house, southeast of Bridgeport, to find the door open and burglars inside, said Douglas County Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal. … When deputies arrived, they searched the home and found a 20-year-old Bridgeport man hiding in the bathroom. He had injuries from a saw he pulled on top of himself when the other suspect fled, he said. He was treated by an ambulance crew, the sheriff said.”

AL: Home invader shot: "A home invasion happened just after two this morning in Northport. Sheriff deputies say they responded to the 4000 block of Oak Meadow Drive on a shooting and home invasion. When they arrived they found the front door kicked in. The homeowner knew one of his attackers, and admitted to shooting one of the men with his 12 gauge shot gun, before they turned on him. "A fight ensured the homeowner shot gun is taken from him. The shot gun is then pointed at the homeowner and the homeowner is beaten,” says Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ted Sexton. The victim is at DCH Medical Center. Both men are in custody but only one has been charged. 25 year old Dennis Sagely is charged with second degree robbery and is being held on 30-thousand dollar bond."

Gun owners in cross hairs: "The gun grabbers are at it again in Maryland. Next month, the state's House Judiciary Committee will initiate hearings on legislation forcing firearms enthusiasts to register with the state government before they can exercise their Second Amendment rights. The plan, drafted by Delegate Samuel I. Rosenberg, Baltimore Democrat, and Sen. Brian E. Frosh, Montgomery County Democrat, would mandate that citizens carry a special license while conducting any number of routine transactions involving a gun. To obtain a gun license, a person must fill out a long application form, attend a comprehensive firearms safety course, pay a nonrefundable fee to the state and wait 30 days for the completion of a criminal background check. If all items are processed properly, the Maryland State Police would drop the license in the mail.... The bill would make it a crime on par with murder, kidnapping, rape and extortion for a private party to sell his own gun to someone who has no license. It also would give police the authority to seize the e-mail, cell phone and other records of anyone merely suspected of selling or renting a gun in Maryland without a license."

VA. House panel votes to end gun-a-month law: "The House Committee on Militia Police and Public Safety voted 15-6 today to eliminate Virginia’s one-gun-a-month limit on the purchase of handguns. The vote came after emotional testimony in which the sponsor, Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William, said the ban was no longer needed. Andrew Goddard, father of Virginia Tech shooting survivor Colin Goddard, argued that only gunrunners need to buy more than one handgun a month. The vote was largely along party lines. Two Democrats voted with the Republican majority. The measure now goes to the full House of Delegates. The one-gun-a-month law, which passed in 1993, was a key initiative of then-Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, a Democrat. Last year both candidates for governor, Democrat R. Creigh Deeds and Republican Bob McDonnell, said they would sign bills to repeal the law."

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Bahamas: Robber shot trying to 'buzz' out of building: "A dumb robber who had already been shot in the face after raiding the cash register at a filling station, was blasted again with a shotgun as he tried to "buzz" his way out of the building. Quick-thinking employees at the Wulff Road Texaco gas station thwarted the midnight attack on Monday, leaving blood-stained banknotes scattered everywhere and a suspect critically ill in hospital. The masked assailant entered the gas station store and waved a gun at the cashier. The cashier fled, leaving the robber to hop over the counter to collect money from the cash register. With cash in hand, the robber tried to flee but was unable to escape as the electronic buzzer system had locked him inside the store. Armed with a licensed shotgun, Mr Todd ordered the robber to "freeze" as he tried in vain to "buzz" the door open. Then, according to a member of staff, the robber reached for his gun forcing Mr Todd to fire his first shot, hitting him in the face and sending the man to the ground. He then had to open fire again when the robber attempted to retrieve his gun."

TX: Robbery Suspect Fatally Shot in Game Room: "Investigators say a security guard fatally shot an armed man who tried to rob a game room in northwest Houston. Officers arrived after 10 p.m. to the Fun and Gift game room on West Little York Road near Chateau Forest Drive and found the alleged robbery suspect's wounded body inside. Homicide investigators say that the suspect entered the game room holding a gun and demanding money while a partner waited outside in a black Dodge pickup truck with a rag used to block the license plate number. The security guard, who was not an off-duty law enforcement officer, used a weapon to shoot the suspect an undetermined amount of times. The man waiting in the truck outside the game room ran away on foot and left the vehicle in the parking lot. Investigators have not revealed if any charges will be filed in the suspect's death."

NM: Homeowner Shoots Alleged Burglar: "An alleged home invader was shot by the homeowner as police respond to the burglary in Albuquerque's west side Friday. Police said a homeowner at 9993 Academy Street NW called 911 shortly before noon Friday and reported a break-in. Police said that while she was on the phone, she fired one shot to the head of the alleged intruder, later identified as Frank Castillo, 19. Police said they found Castillo in the front yard, but they won't say yet if the homeowner shot Castillo while he was in the home or if she shot him outside. Castillo is in critical condition at University of New Mexico Hospital. Police said Castillo may not have acted alone. "We think there might have at least been a dark, two-toned passenger vehicle. We don't have any more detail than that," said Bernalillo County Sheriff's Deputy Gregg Marcantel. "So we have reason to believe that there was a co-conspirator here." Marcantel said the two-toned car took off after the shooting and that investigators are still looking for the driver. Police said that driver may have tipped off family members."

Seattle gun ban overturned: "Second Amendment advocates won the first battle in their bid to overturn the ban on guns in Seattle’s city parks and public areas. King County Superior Court Catherine Shaffer ruled the ban violated a 1983 law which gave the state legislature sole power over gun laws. Former Mayor Greg Nickels issued the gun ban by mayoral decree last June. Readers may remember him as the guy who took the powder for Seattle’s ban on salting roads to remove snow for fear of contaminating the Puget Sound with salt. The Puget Sound is a body of salt water. This ban made even less sense".

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Georgia: 3 Shot During Robbery At Vacant Home: "Police said two electricians were lured to a vacant house in south Fulton County and shot Thursday afternoon. The incident happened just after noon Thursday on Surrey Trail in Atlanta. Fulton County police told CBS Atlanta that a man called two electricians from two different companies to the home. When the first electrician arrived, the suspects robbed him, then shot him in the leg. Police say a short time later, the second electrician arrived. “The second electrician to arrive on the scene did not know the first electrician was in trouble,” said Fulton County Police Cpl. Kay Lester. The suspects then shot the second electrician in the leg. That’s when the electrician pulled out a gun and shot the suspect in the head, according to investigators. The alleged robber was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police said there may be a second suspect with a bullet wound. He fled on foot."

NM: Accused man claims self-defense for break-in shooting: "Charges against Nathan Garcia, 40, accused of shooting and critically injuring an Aztec man, will be heard in district court despite claims of self-defense. Garcia, who was charged with third-degree aggravated battery with great bodily harm, fourth-degree shooting at or from a motor vehicle and tampering with evidence, admitted to shooting at Cepeda. "I shot twice, misfired, then shot three times," Garcia said. "I stood in the doorway, which I did not leave, put the pistol in my back pocket and told them to get off my property." Any reasonable person in San Juan County would shoot at somebody who broke into their house, Defense Attorney Steve Murphy said in closing arguments. Garcia claims he shot at Cepeda out of fear after Cepeda put a gun through his living room window. He thought it was a gun because of the size of the object and the secondary barrel. Cepeda testified that he returned to Garcia's house to get even after he was beaten by several males during a party at the residence earlier in the evening. He claims he picked up an object from the ground and broke the window of a car. He then broke the window in Garcia's home as he tried to get the men to come and fight."

AL: Another triumph of gun control: "Three people have been killed and one more wounded after a person opened fire at the University of Alabama's Huntsville campus about 4pm local time (9am AEDT), local reports said. A school spokesperson confirmed the three fatalities and said the shooter was in custody. A 911 call indicated as many as 10 people may have been shot at the campus' Shelby Center by a woman in a pink sweater, The Huntsville Times said. WHNT suggested the woman's husband may have been involved. The victims were believed to be faculty members. [Once again a "gun free zone" becomes a killing field]

If You Brandish a Gun in Self-Defense in Kansas, You'd Best Shoot It: "[A]fter leaving a bar in Emporia where [Brandon] Flint's fiancee and another man exchanged angry words, Flint walked to his car. Outside, Flint's fiancee and two men continued to talk in a heated fashion. Flint's fiancee fell to the ground during the scuffle. At this point, Flint got his gun, walked back across the street, and pointed the gun at the chest of one of the men; both men immediately backed away. Flint's fiancee got up, she and Flint walked back to Flint's car, and they drove away. A majority of the Supreme Court held in [State v. Hendrix, 289 Kan. 859 (2009),] that K.S.A. 21-3211 created a defense of self or defense of another only when there is "use of force." The majority decided actual physical contact rather than a mere threat or display of force is necessary to raise this defense. Since Flint merely threatened the use of his gun and there was no actual force applied, he was not entitled to the defense of another. Wow. Had Flint actually shot the gun, he would presumably have been entitled to have the jury consider his defense-of-others defense."

Friday, February 12, 2010

A Staten Island fourth grader was nearly suspended for taking a machine gun to school. A two-inch plastic replica belonging to a LEGO policeman.

Nine year-old Patrick Timoney was playing with the LEGO toys with his friends in the school's lunchroom when the principal saw the toy gun and took him to her office to begin the suspension process. After calling the child's parents (his father is a retired police officer which is why Patrick liked the toy), common sense eventually prevailed over zero tolerance and little Patrick was set free. The gun was confiscated, presumably to be destroyed in a blast furnace.

The New York Department of Education backed the principle and said there was "cause for concern."

This story joins countless others we've hear about kids getting in trouble for plastic butter knives and guns printed on t-shirts. Supporters of such zero-tolerance policies claim they are in place to keep kids safe, but the truth is that there is an agenda at work.

All through school children are bombarded with messages that all weapons, especially guns, are bad, that people who carry guns are only up to no good, and if the Second Amendment is mentioned at all in school curriculum it is only in passing and dismissed as outdated. The propaganda is designed to instill a dislike for guns at an early age in order to progressively remove resistance to eroding gun rights. Repeat a lie often enough and people, especially kids, will begin to believe it. The end goal is to be able to one day repeal the Second Amendment with little resistance.

We're at a crossroads right now. Support for gun rights in this country is at its highest in decades. It is up to the parents to find out what their children are being taught and to put a stop to the propaganda before it is too late.

CA: Man found not guilty of gun charge: "Sutter County jurors on Thursday found a Yuba City man not guilty of negligently discharging a firearm before a standoff with police at his home. Martin Anthony Galindo, 61, who has been in custody since the Nov. 21 incident in the 900 block of Shasta Street, was found guilty of resisting arrest and will be sentenced March 22, said Deputy District Attorney Brett Wasley. Yuba City police, including a SWAT team, surrounded the house for more than two hours before Galindo surrendered. After a "lively debate" lasting about four hours, jurors also found Galindo guilty of violating terms of probation imposed after a 2008 conviction for carrying a loaded gun in public, said Wasley. Jurors indicated in interviews after the trial that they accepted Galindo's testimony about firing in self-defense when a man threatened him, apparently with a screwdriver, in his back yard. Police were called shortly after 1 p.m. when neighbors heard the shot. Officers gathered behind patrol cars, pointing rifles and handguns at the house, and used a public address system to try and talk Galindo out. Galindo emerged barefoot about 3:50 p.m. as SWAT officers approached the door of the small white house with a battering ram."

FL: Assault stopped with gun: "Forty-one-year-old James Cashin is in jail tonight for allegedly punching another man in the head during an argument. Kurt Hartman says he was hit while taking Gus for an early morning walk. "Their dog was running loose, no collar, no leash, no nothing," said Hartmann. Hartmann admitted to frustration with Cashin, who lives a half a block away on Park Road. He says Cashin routinely let his dog run loose, so he shared his frustration. "It became into a heated exchange, next thing you know, the guy hit me," said Hartmann. Lying on the ground, bleeding, and in fear of his life, he says, he pulled out a licensed .40 caliber pistol in self-defense. Hartmann has a concealed weapons permit and deputies say he acted well within the law. Cashin was taken to jail and now faces one county of felony battery. Cashin does have a prior criminal record that includes battery and drug charges."

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Say Hello To A Little Friend

KRISS 45 Carbine, Semi-Automatic

Considered the smallest, lightest, most controllable and accurate carbines in the world, the KRISS 45 series weapons vector their recoil downward to reduce muzzle climb by 90 percent and produce 60 percent less pounding to the shoulder of the shooter. All the while, they deliver reliable .45-caliber taps to the target. Plus, it weighs less than six pounds.

The KRISS Vector CRB/SO is the civilian version of the military KRISS Vector SMG (sub-machine gun) and it's reportedly legal in 38 states.

You too can have a "little friend" to watch over you for about $1,750.

OK: Robbery Suspect Shot At By Victim: "Shots are fired Saturday afternoon after an armed robbery suspect enters a business and stabs a man. Tulsa police say a man walked into an auto shop in the 2100 block of N. Sheridan Ave around just after 2:40 p.m. intending to rob the place. A fight broke out in the office area and the suspect began stabbing the business owner. The victim was able to grab a shot gun, and fired twice at the suspect as he ran away. Police aren't sure if the suspect was hit by the shots, or if he took anything from the business. No blood trail was found leading from the building. The suspect is described as a black male, mid 30s who stands 5 feet 10 inches tall. He was last wearing a black hoodie and black pants. Officers said the victim is expected to recover. He was transported to a Tulsa hospital and interviewed by police a short time later."

Montana: Walmart shooter won’t face charges: "Charges will not be filed against a man accused of shooting a co-worker in the forehead at the West End Walmart last summer, Yellowstone County Attorney Dennis Paxinos announced Wednesday. In a written statement, Paxinos said the actions of Craig Schmidt, 49, who was accused of shooting 32-year-old Danny Lira during an altercation at Walmart last August, “are supported by Montana law, in both presenting a firearm and in its discharge” and that he was defending himself. Schmidt was arrested at the scene of the shooting last Aug. 10 and was released from the county jail a short time later while the County Attorney’s Office investigated. A witness told investigators that as Schmidt was punched and shoved, he pulled out a pistol and fired. According to Paxinos’ statement, Schmidt said Lira hit him “extremely hard” twice in the head before he fell onto his back on top of a metal rack. He also told them he feared a third blow could cause serious injury or kill him because his head was above the metal surface. He then allegedly pulled out the pistol and fired."

Mississippi Senate passes pro-gun bill: "The Mississippi Senate passed a National Rifle Association (NRA) backed pro-gun bill on Thursday that will allow concealed weapon permit holders to carry a firearm in parks, restaurants, and unsecured public buildings. Senate Bill 2153, authored by Senator Merle Flowers, R-Olive Branch, was approved on a 48-3 vote. "Citizens should be able to exercise their Second Amendment right, and this bill will broaden the locations where they can do so," Flowers said. "Businesses will still have the ability to opt to restrict permit holders from entering their premises while armed, and counties and municipalities will also have the option for local parks. This bill simply allows folks to protect themselves and their families." "The NRA and our 30,000-plus members in Mississippi strongly support SB 2153 to bring state law into line with federal law allowing carry permit holders to protect themselves in parks, and to broaden the right to self-defense in other locations," said Tara Mica, NRA's Mississippi state liaison. Flowers co-authored the Castle Doctrine Law in 2006 that allows citizens to use deadly force if the feel their life is in danger."

Ill: Huge turnout reveals concealed carry is statewide issue: "Illinois is one of only two states left that prohibit the carrying of firearms for personal protection, leaving citizens to follow advice posted on the Illinois State Police website encouraging the use of hair combs and car keys to ward off violent attacks. Pundits say the issue of carrying a firearm for self-defense is a geographical issue in Illinois, limited to the more rural downstate area. Some upstate legislators deny the need for a carry law and argue Illinois citizens north of Interstate 80 have no interest in the right to carry a firearm for self-defense. Without a doubt, they were proven wrong last week when a standing room only crowd of 500-plus citizens from all over McHenry County turned out in support of Right to Carry in Illinois. The town hall meeting had White County connections. Second Amendment activists Valinda and Mike Rowe of Enfield assisted in the organizational phase of the meeting. Mrs. Rowe, the spokesperson for IllinoisCarry.com, was one of the speakers at the event. Women and men crowded into the packed Lakemoor Banquet Hall in Lakemoor to show their support for the right to carry"

Legislators in Maryland are seemingly trying to pull a fast one. They are pushing a gun control bill which hasn't been read by anyone yet. Jeez, it's almost like they're impersonating the U.S. Congress.

The measure, HB820: Firearm Safety Act of 2010, was introduced in both the Maryland House and Senate by Delegate Sandy Rosenberg and Senator Brian Frosh, respectively. It goes without saying, both are Democrats.

The bill includes:

"... a requirement for gun license applicants to provide fingerprints to the Maryland State Police for a background check.

The bill would also expand the definition of a “habitual drunkard” in current law, a classification of people who are ineligible for purchasing firearms. Currently, a person who has been found guilty of three alcohol-related crimes in the past year can't get a gun permit. Frosh's bill would change that to someone convicted of two alcohol-related crimes in the past five years.

The bill would also require gun sellers to be audited at least once every two years.

Second Amendment supporters at AmmoLand.com view the bill's provisions as noxious and a fundamental change to gun ownership in Maryland. Consequently, they have issued a call for action. Gun rights advocates are asked to call or write their representatives and tell them to shut down the proposed firearms act.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Army Spends Big on Smart Grenade Rifle

The Army is moving ahead smartly with its XM25 shoulder fired, semi-automatic 25mm grenade launcher with plans to spend $34 million on further development in 2011 and a production start slated for 2012, according to service budget documents. The Army plans to buy at least 12,500 of the weapons beginning in 2012, enough to put one in each infantry squad and special forces team, according to PEO Soldier.

The futuristic looking XM25 fires a “smart” High Explosive Airburst round out to around 600 meters. The smart round is a “counter defilade” round, designed to blast enemy infantry taking cover behind walls, cars, in trenches as well as enemy fighters dumb enough to be standing out in the open. The Army calls the weapon a “leap ahead” technology.

The XM25 uses a laser rangefinder to target the enemy, then the weapon’s micro-computer accounts for air pressure, temperature and the 25mm round’s ballistics, feeds that information to a microchip in the round itself programming it to detonate directly over the target. With a 600 meter effective range, it would provide small teams greatly enhanced lethality well beyond that of rifles and machine guns. The Army claims that tests showed the XM25 with the high-explosive round is 300 percent more lethal than current squad level weapons.

The XM25 could prove enormously useful to troops in Afghanistan battling Taliban insurgents that typically fire from the cover of tree lines and from behind mud walls. This is the first weapon, at least that I have seen, that could provide infantry with a lethal, accurate and effective grenade launcher that exceeds that of the ubiquitous RPGs carried by insurgent groups around the world.

One potential weakness I've noticed is that the XM25 only has a four round magazine. The Army believes the weapon's lethality will come from its pinpoint accuracy rather than rate of fire.

CA: Woman fires shot at suspected burglar, who flees: "A Modesto woman walked into her home this morning to find a suspected burglar and fired her gun at him before he fled the scene, authorities said. Modesto police received a call at 11:21 a.m. of a possible burglary in process on Kingfield Drive, which is northeast of the intersection of East Orangeburg and Sunrise avenues. "A female in her 40s came home to her residence and interrupted a burglary in process," said Sgt. Rick Armendariz, a police spokesman. "She was able to arm herself and when she confronted the suspect, she feared for her safety." Armendariz said she fired one shot, and there was no indication the suspect was hit. He then fled the scene.

OH: Teen shot in head during apparent home invasion: "Columbus police has named the teenage victim who was critically wounded by a gunshot to the head Sunday afternoon. Columbus police were called to the 1100 block of McCarley Drive at about 12:49 p.m. on reports of a shooting. Officers found 18-year-old Ronnie P. Dowell inside his Southwest Side apartment with a gunshot wound to the head. Dowell was transported to Mount Carmel Medical Center West in extremely critical condition. Investigation indicated a male suspect forced his way into a rear door of the residence and confronted the victim and two other residents, according to a police report. The report said shots were exchanged and the suspect fled the apartment."

TN: Grand jury clears man who shot burglary suspect outside neighbor's home: "A Kingsport man who faced an aggravated assault charge for shooting a fleeing burglary suspect outside a neighbor’s home has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing. At the scene, Sullivan County Sheriff Wayne Anderson said McClanahan said he’d retrieved a .45-caliber handgun and went outside to investigate after hearing what sounded like glass breaking at his neighbor’s residence. “He felt someone was trying to break in,” Anderson had said. Once outside, McClanahan said he spotted a black Honda in the neighbor’s driveway “that didn’t belong there” and after walking over to a tree, he saw a man who “didn’t live there” walk out of the home. “McClanahan stated that he blocked the male from getting in his vehicle, held him at gunpoint, and called 911,” the narrative said. According to McClanahan’s account of what happened, Eads then said, “You got me,” and grabbed him by the wrist. The two wrestled, and a round fired into the air. That’s when McClanahan said he struck Eads in the head with the butt of the gun. According to the narrative, “McClanahan stated that the male got into the vehicle, and as he was attempting to flee, he shot out the tires, and as the vehicle was leaving down Pratt Road, McClanahan fired another round, he believed shot out the back glass of the vehicle.” Eads was located a short time later at his parents’ residence at 2530 N. Holston River Drive Extension. He was released from the hospital several weeks after the shooting"

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

British thug gets shot by victim: "Jamie Bunter, 20, of Ramilles Close, Brixton, held the loaded gun to the head of a stranger and pulled the trigger after rifling through his pockets. When the gun jammed, the shocked victim bravely fought back and managed to beat his attacker across the head with the butt. He was then shot in the stomach by a second armed robber, but was still able to blast Bunter in the leg. Bunter was armed with a shortened .410 calibre double-barrelled folding shotgun. He was with two other white men, one armed with a pistol and the other carrying a hunting knife, who remain at large. The court heard Bunter racially abused his black victim before demanding a phone from the man, who refused to hand it over. The robber needed hospital treatment for head and leg injuries and was identified as one of the gunmen from his wounds. Bunter, who committed an almost identical robbery with a fake weapon when he was 15, was convicted of attempted murder, robbery, and firearms charges after a trial at the Old Bailey last month. He was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection on Wednesday and ordered to serve at least 12 years before he is eligible for release."

Feds respond to Firearms Freedom Act lawsuit: "The United States has made its first response to a lawsuit filed in federal district court in Missoula to test the Montana Firearms Freedom Act (MFFA), passed by the 2009 Legislature and signed into law by Governor Schweitzer. The MFFA declares that any firearms, ammunition or firearms accessories made and retained in Montana are not subject to federal regulation under the power given to Congress in the U.S. Constitution to regulate commerce ‘among the several states.’”

A collector who got cold feet?: "Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies say they expected a good turnout for the department's "gifts for guns" exchange in Compton, but even they were surprised when a man showed up with 58 guns. After the man unloaded the weapons Tuesday, he drove away with several thousands of dollars in supermarket gift certificates in return. Under the policy, there are no questions asked, so deputies don't know the man's identity, but as Lt. Anthony Lucia said, "that is 58 guns off the street." Lucia says most were small handguns, but some also were assault weapons. In all, more than 230 guns were turned in Tuesday during the exchange. All will be destroyed." [I don't want to be too morbid here but a correspondent has suggested that the guns might have been part of a "deceased estate" -- guns left in his will by an old collector to an ungrateful relative. If so, it is very sad to think of the entire collection being witlessly destroyed. I have however heard that good collectors' items somehow tend to escape destruction by police who know what they are worth and do get "recycled" to appreciative buyers. And we are talking about L.A., after all]

Background

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” -- Thomas Jefferson

Syndicated columnist Charley Reese (1937-2013): "Gun control by definition affects only honest people. When a politician tells you he wants to forbid you from owning a firearm or force you to get a license, he is telling you he doesn’t trust you. That’s an insult. ... Gun control is not about guns or crime. It is about an elite that fears and despises the common people."

The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles -- Jeff Cooper (1920-2006)

Note for non-American readers: Crime reports from America which describe an offender just as a "teen" or "teenager" almost invariably mean a BLACK teenager.

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.

Two lines below of a famous hymn that would be incomprehensible to Leftists today ("honor"? "right"? "freedom?" Freedom to agree with them is the only freedom they believe in)

First to fight for right and freedom,
And to keep our honor clean

It is of course the hymn of the USMC -- still today the relentless warriors that they always were.

The intellectual Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) said: "The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."

How much do you know about Trayvon Martin? Did you recognize him in the picture above? If not you may need to know more about him. It's all here (Backups here and here)

“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” -- Robert A. Heinlein